Management
Patients should be monitored in an intensive care unit. Pericardiocentesis (echocardiography-guided being the
procedure of choice) is the definitive treatment but may be hazardous and not relieve symptoms in cases of
small effusions associated with constrictive pericarditis - eg, malignancy, autoimmune conditions and viral
infection.
Oxygen.
Volume expansion to maintain adequate intravascular volume - small boluses work best.
[7]
Improve venous return: bed rest with leg elevation.
Positive inotropic drugs: eg, dobutamine.
Positive-pressure mechanical ventilation should be avoided because it may decrease venous return.
Further medical care includes:
Echocardiogram-guided pericardiocentesis: removal of pericardial fluid is the definitive
therapy for tamponade.
[8] [2]
Emergency subxiphoid percutaneous drainage: is the safest method for emergency
pericardiocentesis. It is most safely performed under guidance by echocardiography.
Without echocardiography guidance, it may cause right ventricular puncture, which is not
usually fatal but precipitates severe cardiac tamponade requiring surgical intervention.
[9]
Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy.
Treatment of the underlying cause